The present invention is generally related to use of a carrier for liquid ingredients to be used in cleaning products, and, more particularly, is related to a method for producing effervescing products from liquid ingredients.
One major limitation in effervescent cleaning, disinfecting, or other products was the amount and type of liquid and active ingredients that could be incorporated into effervescent formulations. Generally, less than 25% by weight of the tablet was available for active ingredients. Typically, surfactants, e.g., anionic, nonionic, cationic and amphoteric, could be used at no more than 5% of the formulas because these ingredients reduced the storage stability of carbonate-based effervescent products, made conventional granulation or tableting difficult or impossible and dramatically increased the dissolution time of the resulting products. Generally, solvents were incompatible with effervescent products. They were either very hydrophobic and were incompatible with aqueous systems or are sufficiently hydrophilic to initiate the effervescent reaction, thus making the product unstable. Many surfactants were available only as liquids containing water or alcohol and could not be employed at any useful level in effervescent formulas. Previously, solvents were primarily used in effervescent tablet production for wet granulation and had to be evaporated off to produce the finished tablet.
As noted previously, in typical effervescent tablets, less than 25% by weight of the tablet was usually available for ingredients other than the effervescent system. For example, although up to 75% by weight of the tablet weight could be a binder, 10% to 25% was typically used. The effervescent system typically accounted for up to 50% of the tablets. It should be noted that the greater the percentage of the effervescent system that was used, the quicker the tablet dissolved. Lubricants, which help in tablet production, comprise up to 10% by weight of the tablet. Fragrance and color make up approximately 2% of the tablet. It was found that high levels of fragrance adversely affected tablet stability, dissolution, hardness and tablet production.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.
The present invention provides both an effervescent compound and a method for making an effervescent compound. Briefly described, the effervescent compound includes an effervescent system, liquid ingredients and optionally a solvent. The solvent of the effervescent compound is compatible with the effervescent system and may be both hydrophilic and have low solubility with effervescent ingredients. In general terms, the solvent may include glycols, alcohols and glycol ethers. The effervescent system of the effervescent compound may include either expanded sodium perborate (ESPB) and/or a mixture of an acid and one or more of sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and potassium bicarbonate. The compound may further include any one, all, or any combination of the following ingredients: a surfactant, bleaching composition, an anti-redeposition agent, a binder, a chelating or sequestering agent, a lubricant, a color, a fragrance, and/or an optical brightener.
The present invention can also be viewed as providing a method for making an effervescent compound. In this regard, the method can be broadly summarized by the following steps: providing a liquid ingredient; providing an effervescent system in powder form; and mixing the liquid ingredient with the effervescent system, thereby producing a free-flowing effervescent compound. Alternate embodiments of the present invention include the further steps of dissolving ingredient in a solvent and mixing the resulting solution with the effervescent system thereby producing a free-flowing effervescent compound. Further steps may include compressing the effervescent compound and forming granules of the effervescent compound. Further, in an alternative embodiment, the method may also include compressing the effervescent compound and forming a tablet from the effervescent compound.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.